The Art of Aging Gracefully

With people living longer these days certainly it is best to be in good physical and mental health during those twilight years. Is it a matter of good genes inherited from past relatives or can you change your life style to aid that process of happiness and health? While no one is seeking the fountain of youth, there are certain things everyone can do to keep active and independent. One of the best ways to find out about successful aging is to ask those who have successfully aged.

One of the first aspects is a positive outlook. The person who is sitting around thinking about what is not working well any more or about minor aches and pains is going to be stopped from aging successfully. Most people in their 80s and older have stayed physically and mentally active by walking to various nearby locations, taken up new skills or are still working at jobs they enjoy. They have a love of life and enjoy the people who are around them.

While no one likes to hear about another's aches or lack of sleep, it is still important to focus on good health including healthy eating, clean air and pure water. Some of the areas of the world where people live well into their 90s are country-side locations with simple food raised and grown nearby. Now that more people are living in cities, it is possible to buy organic food and to purify drinking water.

Another common trait for aging gracefully is flexibility. American psychologist, Mark Frazier, who has worked with thousands of elderly from ages 65 to 105 says, "If you live until you're 95 years old, you're probably not going to be living alone in a beautiful apartment and driving your car to the grocery store and picking up your dry cleaning and walking a mile to the park. But if you know that ahead of time, it's much easier to manage it". It's a matter of preparing for these changes and not holding on rigidly to old patterns. Otherwise the inevitable changes will seem overwhelming or depressing. Click here to read more.

I would like to add my own idea to this mix as well. I come from a family of women who live long into their later years. Even my great grandmother was 98 when she passed on, having outlived 3 husbands. What I noticed with all of them is that they lived much longer than their friends. This meant a lonely time in their last years. Therefore, I've made a point to cultivate some younger friends, even some as young as my children. In this way I will have these companions when I get older; they will still be around, and their activity level will keep me active too.

There are so many meaningful activities to try, both new and ones that you have been doing for years. Can't teach an old dog new tricks? That might be true of dogs but certainly not people. How many senior citizens are now taking up computer studies or yoga? For those how can afford it, cruise ships provide a safe way to travel the world as well as companionship and great meals. There are new social groups and hobbies. For many seniors the joy of learning carries right on. Recently I was introduced to the ease of auditing university courses. Having no need for more degrees than I already have, this has provided endless hours of enjoyment.

Perhaps the last words should come from one of the oldest practicing physicians in the US, Dr. Ephraim Engleman, who still sees patients and drives to work at the Rosalind Russel/Ephraim P. Engleman Rheumatology Research Center at UCSF. He recently renewed his driver's license and said, "So now I'm good till at least 105".

Interestingly enough, recent brain research has found that there is something called "cognitive reserve" that serves as a backup system as the frontal cortex and hippocampus (the headquarters of memory and planning respectively) start to shrink. Keeping your brain active with reading, writing, bridge-playing, puzzles, and especially language learning helps to kick the cognitive reserve into action.

Think hard work is going to shorten your life? Not if you keep in good physical health and avoid long prolonged stress. in fact, Howard S. Friedman in his Longevity Project found that of 1,500 American children followed into their old age the hardest workers had the longest lives. No time to overeat, drink too much or get bored! To read more of Dr. Friedman's report, click here.

The Effects of US Baby Boomers Retiring

There are endless articles these days about the problems the US baby boomer generation will face with pensions questionable and inflation eating away at their savings. These people, born between 1946 and 1964, are just now reaching 65 and retiring - the ones who can afford to, that is. Many are continuing to work at least in part time jobs. They are known as "boomers" because they have grown up in boom times and have not known the poverty their parents experienced during the depression. There is some evidence that as a group they have spent more too and saved less than their parents. As Wikipedia points out, " In Europe and North America boomers are widely associated with privilege, as many grew up in a time of widespread government subsidies in post-war housing and education, and increasing affluence." However, there is some good news for the Boomers. 

First, the percentage of elderly compared to the total population will increase for the next two decades. However, compared to some other countries such as Japan, Poland or China, the increase will not be that much (see chart). One of the reasons for this is the number of immigrants coming into the US, most of them younger and employable who often have more children than the average American family.

China on the other hand, due to its one child policy faces another demographic crisis. Due to the Chinese culture preference , more boy children were born than girls. What will China do to even this out - allow foreign women, encourage some of the only male children to leave China (unlikely) or allow 2 husbands for one woman (also unlikely). 

Another factor is helping the baby boomers. Their children , sometimes called the "echo boomers" are reaching their prime work years. In fact, it would benefit this group if the Baby Boomers would retire to free up the jobs for the Echo Boomers.

Lastly, Ben Casstleman points out that the Baby Boomers are no longer the largest demographic group.

Boomers are no longer even the largest age cohort; more of today’s Americans were born in the 1980s and 1990s than in the postwar years. As today’s teens and 20-somethings enter the workforce, they will partly offset their parents’ exit. Indeed, for many young people, mom and dad can’t retire soon enough; some experts argue that boomers, by staying in the workforce longer than past generations, are essentially clogging the usual professional pathways, leaving few opportunities for people beginning their careers. 

Returning to the financial problems of the Baby Boomers, whether they are a large group or not, they still need money, and their savings are fast disappearing with inflation and decreased prices for stock and bonds as well as their residences. In future articles I will suggest some measures to take to remedy the treat of poverty and poor health care - something more secure than sticking money under your mattress.